French table tennis brothers Félix and Alexis Lebrun secured their second European men’s doubles title on Saturday in Slovenia, overcoming a tense five-set battle against Sweden’s Kristian Karlsson and Anton Kallberg to win 3-2. Before reaching the final, the two Montpellier brothers eliminated the French pair composed of Esteban Dorr and Florian Bourrassaud in the semifinals to further solidify their dominance on the European continent.
Defending Champions Overcome a Deciding Set Scare
The French pair held a two-sets-to-one advantage before their Swedish opponents mounted a charge, forcing a deciding fifth set known as the “belle.” Karlsson and Kallberg jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the final frame before the Montpellier natives rallied to close out the match on their first championship point. The final scoreline read 5-11, 11-5, 11-8, 7-11, 11-8 in favor of the French duo, according to match reports.
ALEXIS ET FÉLIX LEBRUN CHAMPIONS D'EUROPE !!!#lequipePING pic.twitter.com/wSWz7uxoOI
This victory arrives two years after the brothers claimed their first continental crown at the 2024 European Championships in Linz, Austria, as noted by ici.fr. Despite struggling through stretches of Saturday’s final, the pair reaffirmed their status as the N.1 in the discipline.
A Demanding Singles Campaign and Upcomimg Semi-Finals
While the doubles tournament ended in triumph, the singles draw brought mixed fortunes for the siblings. Alexis Lebrun exited the competition in the quarterfinals earlier on Saturday following an intense physical schedule that saw him entered across three separate brackets—singles, men’s doubles, and mixed doubles—as ici.fr reported.
Félix Lebrun, just 20 years old, advanced smoothly through his quarterfinal match against an German opponent, ici.fr stated. He remains on track for a potential second gold medal in Slovenia.
Sunday Semifinal Schedule and Continental Context
Félix Lebrun is scheduled to play his men’s singles semifinal match on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. local venue time. He will face compatriot Léo De Nodrest, who emerged as a surprise semifinalist in the tournament, France 24 reported. Léo De Nodrest is also guaranteed a medal in singles, while Prithika Pavade has likewise qualified for the semifinals in the women’s draw following a wild campaign that included eliminating the top European player, Sabine Winter.
The European gold medal adds to a strong 2026 campaign for the Lebrun brothers, who previously captured two Grand Smash titles—the table tennis equivalent of a tennis Grand Slam—in Singapore and Sweden.
